Critics savage Palin film as audiences stay away in droves

“The Undefeated”, a documentary about former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin opened in some theaters across the country this weekend and, if critics are to be believed, it is truly awful. Politico has a round-up of reviews, many of which feature the word “bombast” and include sentiments like this one, expressed by Time magazine’s Richard Corliss, “The movie may tempt even the most ardent conservatives to emulate their idol’s tenure as governor and walk out halfway through.”

The New York Post‘s Kyle Smith called “The Undefeated” an “excruciating combination of bombast and whining”. Smith, the first professional critic to review the film, is a self-described political conservative. He was perhaps the producers’ best hope for a favorable review. When he panned an advance copy of the work, the filmmakers attempted to bar him from its New York premiere.

In spite of the film’s poor performance with critics and moviegoers, producers insist that the initial reception has been positive. They cited reports of patches of enthusiastic fans throughout the country and a sold-out showing of “The Undefeated” in Grapevine, Texas.

About the Author

David Ferguson is an editor at Raw Story. He was previously writer and radio producer in Athens, Georgia, hosting two shows for Georgia Public Broadcasting and blogging at Firedoglake.com and elsewhere. He is currently working on a book.